Telephone system.



PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905.

' W. A. ROBINSON.

TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18. 1904.

2 SHBMS-SHEET 1.

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PATENTED NOV. 7,1905. w. A, ROBINSON. TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18' 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '7, 1905.

Application filed February 18, 1904.. Serial No. 194359.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. ROBINSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at South Kortright, in the countyof Delaware and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Telephone Systems; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in telephonesystems.and more particularly to that class of systems employed in ruraldistricts where a number of phones are connected to one main line andwherein the return-circuit is made through the ground.

My main object, among others, is to provide a means whereby two phonesmay be used and the remainder of the phones upon that systern locked ordisconnected, so that the phones in use may not be disturbed.

A further object is to provide means whereby a phone located between thephones in use and a phone beyond said phones may converse Withoutdisturbing the phones already in use, or both phones may be locatedbetween the phones already in use.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter made clearly apparent,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made a partof this application, and in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of'aportion of a telephone system, showing my invention applied thereto.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the switch-controlling mechanism andinterlocking device, the housing for the same being in section; and Fig.3 is a top plan view thereof as seen from the dotted line 00 w in Fig.2.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference-numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 designates themain-line wire, and 2 the ground-wire, which are constructed in theusual and well-known way. I also employ in connection with the main line1 a secondary line 3, to which is connected my switching andinterlocking mechanism. The said interlocking mechanism consists of amain pullrod 4: and auxiliary pull-rods 5 and 6. The rod 4 is providedat its inner end with an upward extension 7 for a purpose to behereinafter set forth. The rod 4 is also provided near its inner endwith a cross-bar 8, said bar lying in the path of the inwardly-extendingends 9 of the auxiliary rods 5 and 6, whereby when the main rod 4 ispushed inwardly the auxiliary rods will be carried in unison therewith.2 and 3, these parts are suitably mounted within a housing 10, the outerends of said rods extending through the housing and provided withsuitable buttons 11. Pivotally mounted within said housing and in a linewith the main pull-rod tis alatch 12, having upon one end a cross-head13 and provided with a notch at its opposite end, which is adapted toengage the member 7 upon the inner end of the main pull-rod 4: whendesired. Immediately above the cross-head 13 I locate a magnet 14 for apurpose to be hereinafter set forth. The auxiliary pull-rods 5 and 6 areeach provided with a switch-arm 15 and 16, respectively, which are inturn pivotally secured within the housing 10 and by which means thecourse of the current through the line 3 is controlled. The line 17,leading from the main line 1 to the phone, is provided with a switch 18,so that when desired the phone may be entirely disconnected from themain line.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have shown four phones, which I willdesignate A, B, (l, and Dt'or convenience in illustrating. Assuming thatA wishes to communicate with C, the call is made on the main line 1, andC answering the same A requests him to converse over the line 3,whereupon 0 opens the switch 18, which disconnects his phone from themain line. He then pulls outwardly upon the pullrod 4:, which removesthe same from beneath the latch 12. He then pulls outwardly upon the rod5 until the member 9 again rests against the cross-bar 8. the free endof the switch-arm 15 from the contact-point 19 to the contact-point 20,and thus connecting his end of the line 3 with his phone and at the sametime breaks the circuit between the line 3 and the battery 21 in hisphone. In conjunction with G, A also disconnects his phone from the mainline through the medium of the switch 18 and in the same manner pullsthe rod 4 outwardly. A then pulls outwardly upon the pull-rod 6, whichaction moves the free end of the switch-arm 16 from the contact-point 22and disposes the same in connection with the contact-point 23, thuscompleting the connection between As phone and the line 3 and breakingthe circuit between line 3 and As battery This action moves As bestshown in Figs.

21. This completes the connection between A and C over the line 3. Thecircuit starting from As phone passes through that part of the line 17between the phone and the switch 18 into the wire 24:, which leads fromthe contact-point 23 to the line 17, the meeting-point of said wiresbeing indicated by the numeral 25. The current then passes through thewire 3 to the contact-point 19 of Bs phone; thence through the wire 26,leading from the contact-point 19 to the magnet 14; thence through thewire 27, leading from the magnet to the battery 21; thence through thewire 28, leading from the magnet to the contact-point 22; thence againthrough the wire 3 to the contact-point 20 at US phone, through the wire29, leading from the contact-point 20 to the junction-point 25 and intoOs phone over the wire 17. As soon as the circuit between the line-wire3 and the ground-wires 2 has been completed the magnets 14:, interposedbetween the phones in use, (in this instance phone 13,) are magnetizedand act upon the cross-head 13 of the locking-latch 12, raising saidcross-head and lowering the opposite end thereof until the upwardextension 7 of the main pull-rod 4 has entered the notch in said latch12, when the pullrod 4 and auxiliary pullrods 5 and 6 are securelylocked in their inward position, thus positively preventing anyinterruption of the line 3 from the interposed phones. It will likewisebe seen that the line 3 is broken from phone A at the contact-points 20and 22 and from phone G at 19 and 23. If, however, B desires to talk toD, they may converse over the main line 1 without disturbing A and C, astheir phones are cut off from the main line at the switches 18.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple and durable deviceand one that can be applied to any make of phone and at any time at aminimum cost.

It will also be seen that my device will be positive in its action inchanging from one line to another and in preventing other patrons fromlistening to the conversation.

While I have shown and described the preferred construction of mydevice, I desire to comprehend in this application all substantialequivalents and substitutes as may be considered as fairly fallingwithin the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The herein-described telephone system comprising the combination withthe main line and suitable phones thereon, of a secondary line anddevices to break the circuit between the main line and the phones, alever and means carried thereby to complete the circuit between any twoof the phones and the secondary line and simultaneously lock theintervening phones from connection therewith, substantially as setforth.

2. In a telephone system, the combination with the main line andsuitable phones thereon, of a secondary line, suitable switches to makeand break the circuit between the main line and the phones, a pull-rodhaving means connected therewith adapted to complete the circuit betweenany two of the phones and the secondary line and at the same time lockthe pull rods of the intervening phones, whereby the intervening phoneswill be prevented from using the secondary line but permitting saidsecondary line to be used at either side of said two phones,substantially as set forth.

3. The herein-described telephone system, comprising the combinationwith the main call-line having suitable phones thereon, of a secondaryline, a main pull rod having a cross-head, auxiliary pull-rodscooperating with said main pull-rods whereby the circuit of saidsecondary line may be completed upon one side of the phone anddisconnected upon the opposite side thereof, substantially as set forth.

4. In a telephone system, the combination with the main line havingsuitable phones thereon, of a secondary line, a switching mechanismadapted to break the circuit between the main line and the phone, apullrod carried by each phone having auxiliary rods cooperatingtherewith, said auxiliary rods having switch-arms pivotally connectedthereto adapted to make and break the circuit between the phones and thesecondary line when said pull-rods are operated, substantially as setforth.

5. In a telephone system, the combination with the main line havingsuitable phones thereon, of a secondary line and means to connect anytwo of said phones with the secondary line and lock the interveningphones therefrom, comprisinga main pull-rod 4 having a cross-bar nearits inner end, auxiliary pull-rods 5 and 6 having inwardly-extendingends adapted to extend into the path of said cross-bar, switch-armspivotally secured to the inner ends of said rods 5 and 6 adapted todirect said secondary line from one contactpoint to another, and meansto automatically engage the inner end of said main pull-rod whereby saidmain pull-rod and auxiliary rods will be held against outward movement,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

J. HOWARD ScoTT, J. MERTON MUIR.

